Ferrokinetics and erythropoiesis in mice after long-term inhalation of benzene.
Ferrokinetics and erythropoiesis were examined in mice exposed for 6 or 7 weeks to an airborne concentration of 300 ppm of benzene, for 6 h per day, and 5 days per week. Ferrokinetic indicators showed only a slightly enhanced production of haeme and erythrocytes in the spleen (133% +/- 18% and 122% +/- 17%, respectively). Production did not change in the femoral marrow; a decline of CFU-C, BFU-E and especially CFU-E (34% +/- 8%) took place there and a shift of cellularity into less mature developmental classes in the erythroblast compartment, without this compartment as a whole being damaged. The erythrocytes produced have an enhanced MCV (109% +/- 0%) and MCH (109% +/- 1%) with an unchanged MCHC; their concentration in blood sank to 87% +/- 1%. The absolute reticulocyte count rose to 160% +/- 16%. 59Fe incorporation into the liver declined far below the level attributable to decreased accessibility of the tracer (84% +/- 4%). A shortening of the life span of late erythroblasts and circulating erythrocytes was deduced from these findings and methodological problems related to some of the seemingly controversial findings are discussed.
Vácha
J
J
Institute of Biophysics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Brno.
Znojil
V
V
Seidel
H J
HJ
Barthel
E
E
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D001554:Benzene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism
D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D007501:Iron; D001554:Benzene